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Slimming World and Food Optimising is a plan for life, it's not a quick fix and you should look at weight losses over a period of time. There are no prizes for speed of weight loss.

You need to commit to making changes to the food that you buy and how you cook it, because what you've been doing in the past hasn't got you to where you want to be.

You can't use parts of the plan that suit you and forget the rest.

If you are not prepared to make a commitment to change the behaviour that has got you into your current situation then nothing is going to change, and above all things, you need to be honest and accountable for every single mouthful of food that passes your lips.

You need to care enough to take time out to pre-plan your slimming campaign. Look again at the menu plans and see the variety and volume of food you can eat. All you have to lose is the weight.

Slimming World has been successfully helping people lose weight for over forty years, so trust them and read your Food Optimising books again and again.

Food Optimising is easy but life isn't. Losing weight is a battle but you have the battle plan in your food optimising book, your secret weapon is free food, and that, together with your healthy extras and syns add up to a healthy way of eating that can (and should) be a life plan. Success is there waiting for you………go for it!

If you fancy having a go at EE, here are the official 'rules' to ensure that you not only lose weight regularly but get all the nutrition your body needs to function well:-

Extra Easy:

1: Choose your Free Food

Most of the food you eat should come from the free foods list – so that’s pasta, rice, potatoes, lean meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables.

And for super-fast, super healthy results, fill one third of your plate with Speed Foods!

2: Choose your Healthy Extras

Each day select one Healthy Extra ‘a’ choice and one Healthy Extra ‘b’ choice from our simplified list of calcium and fibre-filled foods, including milk, cheese, bread, nuts and cereal.

I've only tried a couple of the SW meals. The beef & vegetable crush one is OK but far better to cook it yourself using the recipe on the back.

Have also had the potato & sweet potato curry - the flavour was OK but the potatoes weren't cooked enough, they were still rock hard. Haven't actually tried cooking that one myself.

If you're the sort of person who likes to keep ready meals in the freezer for those can't be bothered days then probably worth trying some and deciding whether they are for you but personally I prefer to batch cook my own meals and freeze them for those sorts of days!

I've only tried one SW meal: the chicken jalfrezi. It was OK but the sauce was a bit watery.

If you like an Indian curry then I'd recommend Aldi Lamb Rogan Josh for 1.5 syns. Just as good as a take away IMO.

Sorry you were disappointed with your kedgeree denise. I'm hoping the haddock will be OK. I bought 3 for £10 bags from Farmfoods to try. The salmon wasn't that good, we'll see what the haddock's like. I might try Iceland another time. I generally buy my fish YS in Sainsbury's or in Lidl. I'm trying to up our fish intake but it seems you get what you pay for.

I've had a couple of the ready meals but I'm not keen. Then again I generally don't like any ready meals. I tend to make my own read meals from left overs and have them in the freezer for when I want something quick instead

Really surprised (mind you last week I rounded up so it might have made the difference) but

-3.5lbs

So now only got 2.5lbs to go until I've lost 4 stone really cannot believe it. I never thought it would happen. I'm wondering if my thyroid tablets are now too high mind but I think the last prescription said review in April so might wait until then and not bother docs as I've got more energy now and stuff.

Also I think I've asked before but feeling like a bit of chocolate - can anyone tell me what chocolate honeycombe matchsticks are for 4 or how they work it out.

Well done to the losers, keep your head up sts and any gainers. It's heading in the right direction and remember where we started to where we are now

My targets to end 2018:
1) To get down to 11 stone then treat to a safari. At start 17 stone 7 lbs *60lbs lost* *31lbs to go*
Started SW16st13lbs tues11/7/17 - 32 weeks in -52lbs
-> target 11 st 13lbs by mid June -> 15 weeks & 18lbs to go
2) to find new challenges

I used to get Iceland ready meals on the way to work - they fill the spot but not that well. I now make a quick omelette or take some frozen veg out and nob it in the pan with frozen fish/ tin of tuna on my can't be bothered days.

Welcome Fred btw and thanks for the chart Katheryna - sorry to hear you're under the weather with the meds. Might be worth asking if there's any alternate/ something that can be taken inbetween as there's nothing worse than being in pain

My targets to end 2018:
1) To get down to 11 stone then treat to a safari. At start 17 stone 7 lbs *60lbs lost* *31lbs to go*
Started SW16st13lbs tues11/7/17 - 32 weeks in -52lbs
-> target 11 st 13lbs by mid June -> 15 weeks & 18lbs to go
2) to find new challenges

Really surprised (mind you last week I rounded up so it might have made the difference) but

-3.5lbs

So now only got 2.5lbs to go until I've lost 4 stone really cannot believe it. I never thought it would happen. I'm wondering if my thyroid tablets are now too high mind but I think the last prescription said review in April so might wait until then and not bother docs as I've got more energy now and stuff.

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Have my first class tomorrow, back to my old group and consultant (who is absolutely fab) so will start plan properly on Wednesday. Not sure my thyroid meds are quite right yet but I'll give it my best .

Quick question - SW Iceland meals - these didn't exist the last time i did plan, are they worth buying or are you better to try and cook from scratch? They seem like a handy thing to have for the days when you're not in the mood for cooking but don't want to stock the freezer up if they're horrid!

"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.It starts with you, it starts from now. *** It is ok to be me.*** ***Keep plodding***

Really surprised (mind you last week I rounded up so it might have made the difference) but

-3.5lbs

So now only got 2.5lbs to go until I've lost 4 stone really cannot believe it. I never thought it would happen. I'm wondering if my thyroid tablets are now too high mind but I think the last prescription said review in April so might wait until then and not bother docs as I've got more energy now and stuff.

"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.It starts with you, it starts from now. *** It is ok to be me.*** ***Keep plodding***

Thanks for the chart, kathrynha, and sorry you're not feeling too good at present. Congratulations to GAF on slimmer of the week, and welcome to Fred.

On the subject of SW ready meals - we like the chicken tikka masala one and find there's ample to share between two of us. We've also tried the lasagne (both the beef and vegetable varieties) but weren't at all impressed.

We've just discovered the ALDI 'Slimwell' meals, which are cheaper and less calories than the SW equivalents - I think SW threatened to sue Aldi because the packaging is very similar, so I don't think they've been given syn ratings.

So far we've just tried their bolognese ragu, which we had with courgetti and we both enjoyed. We have a couple of other ones in the freezer, but not tried them yet - we try to cook from scratch, with ready meals being for the odd occasion where neither of us can face cooking.

I can second mamans recommendation for the ALDI chilled rogan josh if you enjoy curry.

Plan for today - got up late, so just brunch today - ham salad sandwich (HEXB) with cheese (HEXA) and red pepper.
Beef casserole in the oven for tea shortly
Mango, clementines and pears for snacks, possibly with a muller light.

That's the ones. Thank you. Don't attend club but will award myself with new trousers or something when I get there

My targets to end 2018:
1) To get down to 11 stone then treat to a safari. At start 17 stone 7 lbs *60lbs lost* *31lbs to go*
Started SW16st13lbs tues11/7/17 - 32 weeks in -52lbs
-> target 11 st 13lbs by mid June -> 15 weeks & 18lbs to go
2) to find new challenges

Welcome Fred btw and thanks for the chart Katheryna - sorry to hear you're under the weather with the meds. Might be worth asking if there's any alternate/ something that can be taken inbetween as there's nothing worse than being in pain

I'm not actually in that much pain from the kidneys or operation. Just a bit bruised and achey.

I'm on the pain relief because I was in a lot of pain during my treatment. Problem is I am now addicted to it, and need to get off it. The withdrawal symptoms do include pain, but there is nothing I can take for it. Just have to endure it. They could do the reduction slower, but that will just make me suffer for even longer, so I really don't want that, so will cope with it if I can.

Kathryn thanks for the chart. Just remember that it is perfectly acceptable to reduce the reduction a little to manage the withdrawal symptoms. What is important is that you get to the point when you are free of the pain killers x

Kathryn thanks for the chart. Just remember that it is perfectly acceptable to reduce the reduction a little to manage the withdrawal symptoms. What is important is that you get to the point when you are free of the pain killers x

GAF, well done

I rather like the sausages!

But I have not had the others. I bought the Lamb Ragan Josh from Aldi... but the flipping kids ate them!

I did a camp fire stew yesterday..... I now know that the name comes from the fact the spices give it a burnt taste.... sadly I have enough for several meals!

Kathryn, some people manage a quick detox, the majority manage a tailored detox that has periods where things go a little slower. We wish you all the very best, it is a hard journey.... but one that needs to be made x

I think I like the sausages because I was a veggie for 30 odd years..... when you have age veggie sausages for this length of time..... cardboard tastes lovely!

Kathryn, some people manage a quick detox, the majority manage a tailored detox that has periods where things go a little slower. We wish you all the very best, it is a hard journey.... but one that needs to be made x

I think I like the sausages because I was a veggie for 30 odd years..... when you have age veggie sausages for this length of time..... cardboard tastes lovely!

Evening all
Off to catch up, but before i go i have had a NSV last night/today, i thought no way could it be 47 weeks since i started SW as was end of March, just had a count up and somewhere along the line i had added 2 weeks, its 45 weeks

Sorry to hear things aren't great for you at the moment Kathryn. All you can do is the best that you can. Your health is far more important than SW.

Congratulations GAF on being our SOTW. You've had brilliant losses in your first couple of weeks.

Today's plan:

B - Laughing Cow on toast; topped with tomato (was supposed to have been poached eggs on toast but they were a real mess so gave all of them to DH, LOL!)
L - kedegree but without the boiled eggs!
D - LO sausage & bacon cassoulet

HEA - milk
HEB - bread
Syns - Laughing Cow 2; sausage 1; may also have a hifi bar to make it up to 5 syns today

Thanks for the chart Kathryn - hope things start to look up for you very soon. Congratulations to Greysanatomy fan for SOTW

Ended yesterday on 6.5 syns so making up some of the weekend excess.
Inspired by Bubbs I made some scotch eggs from veggie sausages that we weren't very keen on yesterday - family really liked them and they've been kind enough to leave me one for lunch....

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! Have my first class tomorrow, back to my old group and consultant (who is absolutely fab) so will start plan properly on Wednesday. Not sure my thyroid meds are quite right yet but I'll give it my best .

Quick question - SW Iceland meals - these didn't exist the last time i did plan, are they worth buying or are you better to try and cook from scratch? They seem like a handy thing to have for the days when you're not in the mood for cooking but don't want to stock the freezer up if they're horrid!

I've only tried one SW meal: the chicken jalfrezi. It was OK but the sauce was a bit watery.

If you like an Indian curry then I'd recommend Aldi Lamb Rogan Josh for 1.5 syns. Just as good as a take away IMO.

Sorry you were disappointed with your kedgeree denise. I'm hoping the haddock will be OK. I bought 3 for £10 bags from Farmfoods to try. The salmon wasn't that good, we'll see what the haddock's like. I might try Iceland another time. I generally buy my fish YS in Sainsbury's or in Lidl. I'm trying to up our fish intake but it seems you get what you pay for.

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